Child psychopathology
 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (October 2010) |
Child psychopathology is the manifestation of psychological disorders in children and adolescents. Oppositional defiant disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder are examples of child psychopathology.[1] The full list of formal diagnostic codes and classification of mental health disorders can be found in the DSM IV TR; this is the same manual which covers adult psychopathology, but it has certain diagnoses specific to children and adolescents.[2] --Childpsypro (talk) 03:35, 13 December 2011 (UTC) Counselors, social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists who work with mentally ill children are informed by research in developmental psychology, developmental psychopathology, clinical child psychology, and family systems. The first section of the DSM IV-TR [usually first diagnosed in infancy, childhood or adolescence] includes diagnoses from mental retardation to selective mutism. In addition, the DC 0-3 or Diagnostic Classification 0-3 is used to assess mental health problems in infants. Selma Fraiberg was one pioneer in the field of Infant mental health.
Contents |
[edit] How a diagnosis is made
Often parents first meet with the pediatrician to assess whether a child's symptoms merit further psychiatric evaluation. In order to assess child psychopathology, a licensed professional (often a psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker) will conduct a diagnostic interview to assess symptoms, their frequency and severity. The professional will often also use scales completed by the youth, parent and teachers to assess child functioning. An assessment of eating and sleeping patterns, mood, school performance, birth history, family history, medical history and present risk levels are all part of this evaluation. After assessment, the professional may make a diagnosis as to what condition is causing the child's symptoms. Further recommendations about treatment should be made at this point.
[edit] Theory and Research
The current trend in the U.S. is to understand child psychopathology from a systems based perspective called developmental psychopathology. Recent emphasis has also been on understanding psychological disorders from a relational perspective with attention also given to neurobiology. Practitioners who follow attachment theory believe that early attachment experiences of children can promote adaptive strategies or lay the groundwork for maladaptive ways of coping which can later lead to mental health disorders.[3] [4]
Research and clinical work on child psychopathology tends to fall under several main areas: etiology, epidemiology, diagnosis, assessment, and treatment.
[edit] References
- ^ Child Psychopathology - 2nd Edition, Mash & Barkley
- ^ American Psychiatric Association (2000). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Menatl Disorders IV-TR. ISBN 0890420246.
- ^ Perry, Bruce. The Boy who was raised as a dog. ISBN 0465056520.
- ^ Karr-Morse. Ghosts from the Nursery. ISBN 0871137348.
[edit] External links
- Resources for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Information about child psychopathology and treatment
| This abnormal psychology-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
